Vary Your Exercise Routine for Health and Fitness
For exercise to be effective, it must become a regular habit. But precisely because it is a habit, you may easily fall into the trap of doing only one form of exercise that works on a limited set of muscles. However, recent research suggests that health as well as fitness benefits can be gained from a variety of exercises.
O ne study found that people who performed a range of exercises were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than were those who performed the same amount of a single form of exercise. Another study found that people with type 2 diabetes who performed a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training lowered their blood sugar and lost more fat mass than did those who performed the equivalent amount of only aerobics or resistance training.
The American College of Sports Medicine has released updated recommendations based on evidence that a variety of exercises , in addition to activities of daily living, is necessary for health and fitness. They made recommendations in four categories.
- Moderate-intensity cardiorespiratory exercises should be performed for a minimum of 150 minutes every week in sessions no shorter than 10 minutes, gradually increasing to longer, more intense sessions.
- Resistance exercises should work each major muscle group two or three times weekly using a variety of equipment, beginning with light-intensity work and progressing to higher-intensity exercise with increased repetitions.
- Stretching exercises for increased flexibility and range of motiosnhould be performed two to three times weekly after a light aerobic warm-up.
- Neuromotor exercises, also called functional fitness training, should be performed two to three times weekly to improve balance and coordination.
- Exercises such as yoga, qigong or tai chi are particularly effective because they combine stretching and neuromotor exercises
We can put together a realistic, individualized exercise program and help you to set short- and long-term goals. Through exercise, you can become more active, stay independent and carry out everyday activities with ease.
